Marker for cylindrical objects



NOV 14, 1944? R. w. REDIN r-:rAL 2,362,663

l MARKER FOR CYLINDR-ICAL OBJECTS 6 l Filed May 17, 1943 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Hmmm" Nav. 14, 1944. R w R55. Em 2,362,663

MARKER FOR CYLINDRICAL OBJECTS Filed.May 17, 1943 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 NOV- 14, 1944- R. w. REDIN Erm. 2,362,653

\ MARKER FOR GYLINDRIGAL OBJECTS Filed May 17. 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Nov. 14, 1944 UNITED STATES `PATENT OFFICE MARKER FOR CYLINDRICAL OBJECTS Roy W. Ream and samuel M. Bahar, chicago,

Ill., assignors to The Superior Type Company, Chicago, Ill., acorporation of Illinois Application May 17, 1943, Serial No. 487,232

16 Claims.

` the object to be marked is automatically fed into the machine on an inclined feeding tray and placed in printing position in the machine, and thereafter passed therethrough while being rotated at a speed equal to the peripheral travel of the type or printing face, thereby placing the proper marking, identification or the like, upon the surface of the cylindrical article without smearing or slipping so that the markings are plain, clear and presentable in appearance.

A further object of our invention is the provision of a marking device in which the objects to be marked are automatically fed into the machine and as they pass therethrough have the proper identification, marking and the like applied to the surface thereof without any attention on the part of the operator, and are automatically discharged from the opposite side of the machine after receiving the markings, identication, insignia or whatever indicia or marking it is desiredto place on the surface thereof.

A still further object of the invention is the 4provision of an automatic feeding mechanism nism, once it has performed the function of starting the object through the machine, does not in any way interfere with its movements through the machine and only performs the function of feeding the objects into the machine.

These and other objects of our invention will be more fully and better understood by reference to the accompanying sheets of drawings, and in which- Figure 1 is an end elevational View of our improved machine taken on line I--I of Figure 2;

Figure 2 is a horizontal plan sectional View of the machine taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is. a vertical sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Figure 1; and

Figure 4 is' an end elevational View more or less diagrammatic in character illustrating the general operation of the machine.

Referring now specifically to the drawings, and in which like reference characters refer to like parts throughout, a base plate Illis shown to which are'secured end plates Il and I2, respectively, `in any approved manner as by bolts I3, ffii, each of the end plates I I and I 2 having Iianges thereon which extend inwardly of the machine and toward each other. The base plate I0 and the end plates II and I2 ineffect form the basic frame and housing of the machine. Mounted in the end plates II and I2 in suitable bearings is a transversely extending shaft I4 having a pulley I5 on the outer end thereof over which a belt I6' passes which, in turn, passes over a second pulley I'I mounted on a shaft I8. The shaft I8 is a part of an ordinary gear reduction mechanism of usual form enclosed in a housing I9, with a shaft 2G connected with suitable internal gears (not shown), having a coupling 2l thereon which `engages with a second coupling 22 on the end of a motor shaft 23 leading to a motor 24 through which power is transmitted through the belt I6 and pulley I5 to the shaft I4.

A cylinder 25 is provided which has a hub portion 26 through which the shaft I4 extends, and

. which is keyed or otherwise secured to the shaft I4 so that the cylinder 25 is rotated by the shaft I4 during the operation of the device. Extending circumferentially around the cylinder 25 is a plurality of type 4channels 21, 21 secured to the cylinder 25 by means of screws 28, 28, these type channels having ordinary rubber type 29, 29 inserted therein. The type is of various sizes and kinds, with faces thereon of the letters of the alphabet or any other appropriate marking such as figures or the like, which may be desired or which may be necessary for the particular kind of work the machine is intended to perform. The type can be set in these channels in the ordinary manner, with spacers, slugs and the like, to form sentences or words such as may be desired, and which, during the operation of the machine, are brought into contact with the surface of the cylindrical object to be marked, as will be more fully described hereinafter. As shown in the drawings, the type bars extend around the periphery of the cylinder, but these bars may extend transversely or diagonally of thecylinder, or plates or dies may be used in the cylinder if desired and secured thereto in any approved manner.

Extending 'around the cylinder 25 at the outer edges thereof are tracks 30, 30 set in peripheral grooves formed in the edges of the cylinder 25, these tracks being made preferably of rubber or the like andv slightly resilient so that they engage frictionally with the surface of the object to be marked. An arcuate shaped plate 3I is provided which has substantially the same curve contour as the surface of the cylinder and spans the space between the end plates II and I2 and is secured thereto by means of Screws 32, 32iand forms the bed for the machine. Spaced tracks 33, 33 are mounted on the inner face of the plate 3I and are secured thereto by means of rivets 34, 34 which have their heads countersunk into the tracks 33, 33 so that they do not interfere with the `passage of the circular objects through The tracks 33, 33 are pref-- the marking device. erably made of rubber which is highly compressible, closely approaching sponge rubber, so as to afford frictional engagement with the surface of the object to prevent its slipping duringA its progress through the machine, and also to com-- pensate for slight irregularities in the sizes of the articles to be marked. The tracks'are renewable by removing the rivets 34,' 34 from the plate 3 I', so that as they become worn or lose their elasticity they can be easily and quickly replaced, thereby adding to the life of the ma-v chine and keeping it functioning` in proper order.

The tracks 33, 33 at theends-35 are tapered so as to allow the cylindrical objects to enter the space between the type 29, 29 and the cover 3l, with compression taking' place between the tracks 'on the cylinder 25 and the stationary tracks 33 on thecover, so that the cylindrical objects are firmly held. against longitudinal movement during the printing operation and are rotated as they travel through the machine.

For the purpose of feeding the cylindrical objects olf the feeding tray and into printing position in the machine,V a pair of triangular shaped pick-up members 36 and 31 are provided which rotate on the same a-xis of rotation as the cylinder 25 `and have fingers 38, 38at the apices of the triangular portionsA of the members 36 and 31 for engagement with the cylindricall objects to be marked. Collars 39, 39 rare provi-ded which it against the outer faces yof and are secured to the `pick-up members 36 and 31. and over the hub portions of :gear wheels 46 and 4I, which areloosely mounted on the shaft I4 and. rotate freely thereon. A pair of stub shafts 42 and 43 are mounted inthe end plates II and I2, respectively with small gears 44 and 45 mounted thereon which are in mesh with the gears 46 and 4I, respectively. Hub portions of the gears 44 'and 45 are keyed or otherwise fitted to other gearsA 46 and 41, which inturn are in mesh with gears 4B and 49 mounted upon a shaft I4 and keyed to the shaft I4 so these gears 43 and 49 are rotated bythe shaft I4 Aand in unison therewith. Power is transmitted from the shaft I4 through the -row of cans except one,ras they are fed into the gears 48 and 49 and 46 and 41 with gears 44 and 45 to the gears 40 and 4l, which are xed to the pick-up members 36 and 31. This train of gears forms, in effect, a series of reduction gears which cause the pick-up members 36 and 31 to rotate' at a muchslower peripheral rate of speed than does the cylinder 25,.and at a slower speed than the travel of the object to be marked as it passes `between the bed plate 3I and the cylinder 25,- so that the fingers 38, 38 in effect do not keep up with the cylindrical object being marked after it is picked up by the fingers and carried to initial printing position. In effect the object to. be marked is lifted off'the .pick-up ngers at the initial stage of the marking operation and thereafter rolled by the tracks 30, 30 on the cylinder between the cylinder 25 and the bed plate 3|. The pick-up member 36 has a plurality of pins 50, 5I) extending laterally from the finger portions 38 for purposes hereinafter described.

Support members 5I and 52 are mounted on the `intake side of the machineiby means of bolts 53,53 which-pass through the support members 5I and 52 and .into the fianges on the ends II and I2, respectively, with a transverse support member 54 extending across the ends of the members 5I and52 which supports a feed tray or table The-feed tray55has its edges 56, 56 upturned'A and vbent outward at right angles into lateralfextensiong-M, 51 which are secured to the flanges of the end plates EI and I2 by means of screws 58, 56, which pass through spacer blocks vfitted against the flanges of the end plates II which are not intendedprior to 'the printing operation.

Arockerbar 60 is provided which has shaft portions at each .end 'mounted in theA support members .5I and 52'` and ng'ers 6l and 62 mounted thereon, the free ends of which are curved upward through slots 63, 63 -in the feed tray 55 and-into the pathl of"cvircularobjects, such as cans 64 `or the like, being-fed into the machine. A rod y65`isals`o mounted-in the rocker bar 60, with one end extending into the machine alongside of the pick-up member 36 and in the path lof the pins 50, 5I] Imounted on the fingers 38, 38.A The outer end66 v'of the member 65 has a spring 61`mounted kthereon. which is anchored to the side `56 of the -feedvtrayulfby means ofv a screw 68,.l so that normally the fingers 6I and 62 are held in the path ofthe cans 64 kand in front of the machine, vasfshown particularly in Figure 4.

Anordinary saturate ink-v roller` 69 is mounted upon Vbrackets 10 and-1I secured to a front cover plate .12 |whichhas a base portion 13 and is held by` a screw 14 to the-v base plate I0. The cover plate `'l2 Aspans the space between the inturned flanges on the end plates `I I and I2 and overlapsv the edges of these flanges as shown in Figure 1. The ink roller has tracks 15 and 16 at each end thereof in engagementv with thev rubber tracks 30, 3D on the cylinder' 25 -which=rotatestheink roller 69 duringl the operation-of the printing cylinder 25,the inking portion ofthe inkroller 69 being `adapted to contact the-type mounted on theA cylinder 25 during ythe operation ofthe device. U-shaped member 11 -is mounted, the side portions of which extend. vertically-with its upper edges 18 and 19 being curvedfto receive vthe circular containers 64 after they pass over the cyl-v inder 25, where they rolloutward and are-discharged from -the machineafter being printed Vor marked as desired by lthe type in the cylinder 25.

In operation, the type or impression material is u.placed Vin thetype A.holders mounted in the periphery of the cylinder 25,y in the vapproved combination desired on the containers, and the At the rear-ofthe machine anf-inverted containers are placed in the feed tray particularly as shown `in Figure'll. vUpon the machine being operated, 'the initial rotation will cause the pick-up members to rotate with the pins 50 in the fingers 38 engaging the end of the bar 65, tilting the rocker bar 6U, causing the fingers 6I and 62 to be depressed, and allowing one of the containers, such as 64, to roll inward on the feed tray to the end thereof. The next 'succeeding fingers 38 pick up the container 64 and lift it upward to the inclined end 35 of the tracks 33 where the container is frictionally gripped between the tracks 30 and 33, and in effect is rolled from the intake side of the machine to the dis` charge side of the machine. It will be understood that the cylinder and the pick-up finger normally operate in a clockwise direction, so that this movement will cause the container to rotate in a counterclockwise direction, and while ii; is rotated the type in the bars come into contact with the wall of the container leaving an imprint thereon. The type in the meantime has passed over the saturate roller, from which ink has been transferred to the faces of the type before it is transferred to the containers. As the pick-up fingers lift one container into the initial printing position, the pins 38 engage the bar 65 thereby enabling another container to roll to the end of the feed tray adjacent the cylinder 25.

Due to the reduced gearing employed for driving the pick-up ngers, as soon as the receptacle is gripped between the tracks on the printing roll and the tracks 33 on the cover, the movement of the object being marked is faster than the travel of the pick-up fingers. The rate of travel of the receptacle is controlled by several factors, but primarily by the speed of rotation of the cylinder 25 and the circumference of the article to be marked. The peripheral speed of the cylinder 25 and the peripheral speed of the article being marked is the Same, Each machine, therefore, must be designed to receive an object having a certain circumference, in order that the timing may be proper, and the type or marking elements be properly placed on the markingI cylinder, with the reduction gears connecting the main shaft and the pick-up members being properly designed to control the speed of the pick-up members, all of which is well within the skill of those familiar with the art. When the object being marked reaches the opposite side of the roller it is discharged onto the receiving member 15, where it rolls out of the machine onto any suitable receiving table or into a package if desired. In this way the operation "is continuous and can be repeated as long as the receptacles are kept on the feeding tray.

It'will also be understood that in the form of the machine illustrated and described, only three sets of pick-up fingers are shown. Both the number and form of these ngers can be changed, if desired, depending upon the size of the machine and the particular form of type or articles which are to be marked.

We have also shown an ordinary saturate inkl ing roller designed to supply a dye type of ink to the type. Other forms of inking mechanism can be used equally well, depending upon the surface to which the ink is to be applied, it being well known that various surfaces require various types` and kinds of ink, and that some surfaces will not take some kinds of ink while others v will, all of which is well known in the art of printing and marking.

While we have described more or less prec1sely the details of construction, we do notwish to be understood as limiting ourselves thereto, as we contemplate changes in form and the proportion of parts and the substitution of equivalents as circumstances may suggest or render expedient without departing from -the spirit or scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. Marking apparatus comprising in combination a frame, a rotatably mounted marking cylinder, an arcuate printing bed in spaced relation with the marking cylinder, the space between the said bed and the cylinder providing a channel for a rotatable article, tracks on the said cylinder extending circumferentially thereof, resilient tracks on the printingv bed, a feeding tray extending radially from the printing cylinder and terminating adjacent thereto, and pick-up means adapted to transfer articles to be vmarked from the feeding tray into engagementl with the tracks on the cylinder and printing bed, the speed of the pick-up means being less than the speed of the rotatable article.

2. Marking apparatus comprising in combination a frame, a rotatably mounted marking cylinder, an arcuate printing bed in spaced relation with the marking cylinder, the space between the said bed and the cylinder providing a channel for a rotatable article, tracks on the said cylinder extending circumferentially thereof, curved resilient tracks on the printing bed, i

an inclined feed tray, and a plurality ofpick-up fingers adapted to pick up articles to be marked from one end of the tray and deliver said articles yinto the'machine to be marked, the speed of travel of the pick-up ngers being less than the speed of travel of the rotatable articles.

3. Marking apparatus comprising in combination a frame, a rotatably moimted marking cylinder, an arcuate printing bed in spaced relation with said marking cylinder, whereby an arcuate channel is provided for rotatable articles, tracks on the said cylinder extending circumferentially thereof, resilient tracks on the printing bed, an inclined feed tray terminating adjacent the printing cylinder, rotatably mounted pickup fingers mounted on the same axisV as the marking cylinder and extending beyond the periphery thereof whereby articles to be marked are removed from the tray and delivered to printing position in the machine, the rate of travel of the pick-up fingers being less than the peripheral rate of travel of the marking cylinder.

4. Marking apparatus comprising in combination a frame, a rotatably mounted marking cylinder, an arcuate yprinting bed in spaced relation with said marking cylinder, whereby an arcuate channel is provided for the reception of rotatable articles, tracks on the said cylinder eX- tending circumferentially thereof, resilient tracks on the printing bed, an inclined feed tray, and rotatably mounted pick-up ngers mounted on the same axis of the printing cylinder and eX- tending beyond the periphery thereof whereby articles to be marked are removed from the tray and delivered to printing position in the machine, the speed of travel of the pick-up fingers being slightly less than the speed of travel of the object being marked as it passes through the marking cylinder.

5. Marking apparatus comprising in combination a frame, a rotatably mounted printing cylinder, an arcuate printing lbed in spaced relation with said rotatably mounted cylinder, whereby a space is provided for the reception of rotatable. articles, .tracksthe said .cylinder extending circumferentially rthereof and .resilient .tracks on the .printing bed therotatable article being en-,

gagedV between tracks onthesaid cylinderand thetracks onthe said printing bed, an inclined feed tray, and rotatably mountedpick-up fingers mounted yon the same axis as the printing cylinderA and extending.. .beyond the .peripherythereof whereby articles .to be ymarked are .re-.

moved from thetray and delivered to printing position in the machine, thelpick-up lingers-be.-

ing geared to travel at a slower speed than-the articles to be marked. r,

6..Marking apparatus comprising in combination a frame, a rotatable marking cylinder, a

semi-circular bed. plate in' spaced relation with the marking cylinder, resilient tracks on the said plate and on the said cylinder, an inclined feed tray,` rotatable pick-up means mounted on the same axle as the marking cylinder, reduction gears connected to said axle and pick-up means,

whereby the said pick-up means rotates slower than the resultant peripheral speed of theara.

ticle to be marked, and a discharged member over which the marked articles are discharged from said marking apparatus.

7. Marking apparatus,comprisingin combination a frame, a main shaft, a rotatable marking cylinder on said shaft, a semi-circular bed plate,

in spaced relation with the markingcylinder, re-

silient tracks on the said plate and on the said' cylinder, an inclined feed tray, rotatable pickup means mounted on thesameY shaft as the marking'cylinder, reductiongears connected to the said shaft and pick-up means, whereby the said pick-up means rotates slower than the travel surface, and a discharge member over which the" marked articles are discharged from lsaid marking apparatus.

8. Marking apparatus comprising in combinaof thearticle to' be marked overthe printingl trayfwherebyfarticles of engagement with' the marking cylinder.

1,0. Marking apparatus "comprising in combination 4a frame, -arrotatable `marking cylinder, a'y

semicircular bedrplate in spaced'relation with the marking cylinderrresilient tracks on the said' plate-and -on-the.saidv cylinder,y an inclined feed tray,rotatable pick-up means mounted on the 'same axle as the marking cylinder, reduction gears 'connected to the-saidaxle and pick-up means wherebyhthe saidpick-up means rotates slowerfthan the article being marked, and a discharge fmember'overwhich` the marked articles are discharged from saidmarking apparatus, the

end of theftray being upturned whereby articles to be marked areheld out of engagement with the markingcylinder;

1l.y Marking-apparatus comprising in combination a frame, a rotatable marking cylinder, a

semi-circular bedv plate in spaced relation with the marking cylinder, resilient tracks on the said plate andj on the said cylinder, 4an inclined feed tray, rotatable pick-up means mounted on the same laxle as the vmarking cylinder, reduction gears connected Ato the said axle and Vpick-up means whereby the -jsaid pick-up means rotates slower'thanthe objects being marked, a discharge member over-which the marked articles are discharged from said-marking apparatus, and means whereby the lobjects to be marked are permitted to advancesingly and successively on thel said tray to pick-up position.

12Marking apparatus comprising in combination a-frame, a rotatable marking cylinder, a semi-circularbed plate in spaced relation with the marking cylinder, resilient tracks on the said plate and onthe said cylinder, an-inclined feed tion a frame, a main shaft on said frame, a ro"^ tating cylinder on said shaft, type holding bars' mounted on said cylinder and extending cir#- cumferentially thereon in spaced relation with each other, removable type in said bars, a semicircular printing bed mounted on said frame` in spaced relation with the said cylinder whereby 'Y an arcuate space is provided between the cylinder and printing lbed for the reception of rotat-l able articles, spaced resilient tracks on said bed,-

resilient tracks o-n the said cylinder in substantial register with the tracks on the said bedthe rotatable articles being engaged bythe resilient' tracks on the said bed and the said cylinder, anv inclined feeding tray having its inner end termi'- nating adjacent the cylinder, and rotating pickup fingers outside the end cylinder walls adapted to pick up articles to be marked and delivered into position to be engaged by the said tracks on the bed and cylinder, the rate of travel of' the rotating pick-up iin-gers being less than the peripheral'speed of the printing cylinder.

9. Marking apparatus comprising in combination a frame, a rotatable marking cylinder, a'

semi-circular bed plate in spaced'relation with the marking cylinder, resilient tracks on the said plate and on the said cylinder, an inclined feed tray,- rotatable pick-up means mounted on the same axle as the marking cylinder, reduction gears. connected to the said axle and pick-up means whereby the said pick-up means rotates slower than they travel ofthe article vbeing; marked, r a discharge member .over which the i markedalticlesare .dischargedfrom said mark-:isf

ing apparatus, and means on the end of the said tray, rotatable pick-upmeans mounted 0n the' same axle as the marking cylinder, reduction' gears connected to the vsaid axle and pick-up means whereby the saidY pick-up means rotates f slower than the travel ofthe object being marked,

the marking cylinder, resilient tracks on the said plate and ony the said cylinder, an inclined feed tray, rotatable pick-up means mounted on the same axle a's the marking cylinder, reduction gears connected to the'said axle and pickeup means whereby the said pick-up means rotates slower than the article being marked, a discharge member over which the marked articles are dischargedfrom said marking apparatus, a rocker bar, lretarding fingers on said rocker-baz extending into the tray, a spring secured toY said tray to normally `hold the retarding -ngers in the path of*` .the objects to beA marked, and a linger on saidrocker bar actuated by the pick-up means whereby the retardingfingers are moved out of the path of objects to be marked. r

l 14..Marking"apparatusfcomprising in combi-` nationa frame; a'rotatable marking cylinder, a v semiecircularf bed plate inspaced'relation with 'f the marking cylinder,'-resilient tracks on the said plate and on the said cylinder, aninclined feed trayffrotatable `pick-up meansmounted on the 5 same axle` as the marking cylinder, reduction gears connected to the said axle and pick-up means whereby the said pick-up means rotates slower than the article being marked, a discharge member over which the marked articles are discharged from said marking apparatus, a rocker bar, retarding iingers on said rocker bar extending into the tray, a spring secured to said tray to normally hold the retarding fingers in the pathl of the objects to be marked, and a nger on said rocker bar, and pins on said pick-up means for engagement with the finger on the rocker bar whereby the retarding fingers are intermittently turned out of the path of objects to be marked.

15. A marking machine comprising in combination a main frame, end plates secured to said main frame, a main operating shaft mounted in said end plates, a marking cylinder mounted on said main shaft, spaced resilient tracks on said cylinder, a curved bed plate in spaced relation with the said cylinder, resilient tracks on said plate in spaced relation with each other, rotatable pick-up members on said shaft, pins in one of said pick-up members extending-laterally therefrom, a chain of reducing gears connecting the pick-up members with the said shaft whereby the pick-up members are rotated at a reduced rate of speed as compared with the ,rotation of the said shaft, an inclined feed tray terminating adjacent the marking cylinder, a rocker bar, fingers thereon which extend through the tray into the path of articles to be marked, a spring normally adapted to hold the said fingers in operative position, and a second nger secured to said rocker bar and adapted to be engaged by the pins on the pick-up mechanism whereby the fingers on said tray are depressed out of the path of objects to be marked.

16. A marking machine comprising in combination a main frame, end plates secured to said main frame, a main operating shaft mounted in said end plates, a marking cylinder mounted on said main'shaft, spaced resilient tracks on said cylinder, a curved bed plate in spaced relation with the said cylinder, resilient tracks on said plate Ain spaced relation with each other, rotatable pick-up members on said shaft, pins in one of said pick-up members extending laterally therefrom, a chain of reducing gears connecting the pick-up members with the said shaft whereby the pick-up members are rotated at a reduced rate of speed as compared with the rotation of the said shaft, an inclined feed tray terminating adjacent the marking cylinder, a rocker bar, fingers thereon which extend through the tray into the path of articles to be marked, a spring normally adapted to hold the said ngers in operative position, a limit stop co-acting with the said spring to limit the upward movement of the said ngers, and a second finger secured to said rocker bar and adapted to be engaged by the pins on the pick-up mechanism whereby the ngers on said tray are depressed out of the path of objects to be marked.

ROY W. REDIN.

SAMUEL M. BEHAR. 

